Latest Updates

Pirates 1B Pedro Alvarez homers twice vs. Phillies

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(3/30/2015)Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez went 2 for 4 with a walk, two home runs and six RBI in Monday's 18-4 win over the Phillies.

Alvarez smacked a two-run home run in the fifth inning before coming back with a grand slam in the eighth. He has hit .325 with four home runs in 40 at-bats this spring and said after the outing that spring stats "don't count, but they do matter," per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Pirates Pedro Alvarez looking to stick at first base

by Dave Peters | CBSSports.com

(3/28/2015)Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez is hoping to stick at his new position after converting from third base, reports triblive.com.

On opening day, Alvarez will be the team's 54th first baseman in its 129-year history.

“It's a matter of getting used to seeing the field from that point of view,” Alvarez said. “I need to get the reps in so the responsibilities that come with playing that position become second nature to me.”

Pirates general manager Neal Huntington talked about the team's past efforts of platooning the position.

“You can't develop something you don't have. You can't buy something you can't afford,” general manager Neal Huntington said. “That's why we've tried to platoon. Over the last couple of years, we've realized that's a challenge for a National League manager. Platoons are much harder here than they are in the American League, especially with a one-dimensional player who can only play one position.”

The hope around the organization is that they can get quality production from Alvarez.

“Our hope that is between Pedro Alvarez and Corey Hart, we'll get quality major league production,” Huntington said.

The 28-year-old is batting .306 with two home runs, nine RBI and eight strikeouts this spring.

Pirates Pedro Alvarez experimenting with new stance

by Shawn Krest | CBSSports.com

(3/21/2015)The Pirates are making an adjustment to infielder Pedro Alvarez's stance to help improve his offensive output.

Working with hitting coach Jeff Branson, Alvarez is resting his bat on his shoulder before starting his swing, instead of holding it off the shoulder.

“We're trying to ... figure out ways to get him relaxed at the plate and take the tension out of him at the plate,” Jeff Branson said, per Travis Sawchik of Trib Total Media. “You'll see him start on the shoulder and take it off when he's ready to hit."

It seems to be working. Alvarez is hitting .381 this spring, with two home runs and eight RBI.

Pirates 1B Pedro Alvarez returns from elbow injury Thursday

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(3/12/2015)Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez returned to the spring lineup Thursday against the Red Sox after missing a few days due to a hyperextended elbow. He was hitless in two at-bats.

"Pedro was given a very aggressive workout today and the reports came back that he's fine and ready to go," Hurdle said.

Pirates' Pedro Alvarez dealing with hyperextended elbow

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(3/9/2015)Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez suffered a hyperextended elbow and will miss a few games while recovering, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Alvarez indicated that the elbow is fine and the Pirates said he can work out as tolerable. The former third baseman is spending his first spring training at first base and said last week he feels comfortable with the shift.

Pirates' Pedro Alvarez feeling comfortable at first

After playing third the past couple of seasons, Alvarez will transition to first base full-time in 2015. The 28-year-old is still getting used to the position, but he seems comfortable with the change.

"It’s just a matter of getting used to seeing the field from that point of view, get the reps in so that the responsibilities that come with playing the position become second nature," he said. "That’s just with time and repetitions."

Alvarez hit .231/.312/.405 over 398 at-bats last season.

Pirates' Pedro Alvarez goes deep on Tuesday

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(3/3/2015)Pirates infielder Pedro Alvarez launched a home run on Tuesday against the Blue Jays.

With two men on in the first inning, Alvarez pounced on a pitch from Aaron Sanchez and took it out to the opposite field. Alvarez would later double in a run in the fifth inning. He finished 2 for 3, with one run scored and four RBI.

Pedro Alvarez wins arbitration hearing over Pirates

by Jason Butt | CBSSports.com

(2/19/2015)Infielder Pedro Alvarez won his arbitration hearing against the Pirates, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman.

Alvarez will receive $5.75 million in 2015 instead of $5.25 million, which is the amount the Pirates submitted.

Pirates' Pedro Alvarez to start camp in the mix at first base

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(2/17/2015)Pirates infielder Pedro Alvarez will start camp in the mix at first base after struggling defensively at third base last season, committing 25 errors in 99 games. He'll just need to be adequate defensively at first base due to his offensive strength, the Associated Press reports.

"He's not the first player and he's not the last player that will go through a struggle," Pirates genearl manager Neal Huntington said. "He's not going to be the first and the last to come out of that struggle. We need to get him back to hitting balls in the seats."

Alvarez hit 36 home runs in 2013 while making his first appearance in the All-Star Game. His bat cooled off amid his defensive issues last season, and he hit just .231/.312/.405 with 18 home runs and 56 RBI in 398 at-bats. It's possible he platoons with Corey Hart at first base this season, though manager Clint Hurdle indicated in December that the plan was to use Alvarez every day at first base.

Report: Pirates swap arbitration figures with Walker, Alvarez

Nine Pirates were able to avoid arbitration, but the team has yet to settle on deals with Walker, Alvarez and Vance Worley. Walker was offered $8 million, while Alvarez was offered $5.25 million.

Pirates' Huntington: Pedro Alvarez 'making good physical progress'

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(1/12/2015)Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said the team has kept tabs on the progress of first baseman Pedro Alvarez, who missed the final month of the 2014 season with a stress reaction in his left foot.

"He's making good physical progress," Huntington said, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "He's in a good spot and we feel we're going to see that guy who put up (66) home runs over the 2012 and 2013 seasons."

"We're going to find out. It's going to be Pedro's job to keep," manager Clint Hurdle said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Pedro knows what challenges he's got to meet. He loves his teammates, he wants to do well and perform well. He's taken on some necessary opportunities this winter to prepare and get ready."

Pirates' Pedro Alvarez expected to have normal offseason

Alvarez had a stress reaction in his foot. The injury ended his season prematurely. The team designated Ike Davis for assignment Thursday, confirming it will move ahead with Alvarez at first next season. General manager Neal Huntington confirmed the news, saying "we've essentially committed to Pedro over Ike Davis."

Report: Red Sox eye Alvarez, Chisenhall as trade possibilities

by Marty Gitlin | CBSSports.com

(11/14/2014)The Red Sox will target Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez and Indians counterpart Lonnie Chisenhall as trade possibilities if their attempt to sign free agent Pablo Sandoval is unsuccessful, according to the Boston Herald.

The 27-year-old Alvarez was moved to first base last season, but prefers the hot corner, where he committed 24 throwing errors in 2014. Chisenhall also struggled mightily on defense and fizzled out at the plate after a torrid start.

Both players are arbitration-eligible. The Indians have been rumored to be seeking an upgrade at third base and are also looking to be less dependent on left-handed hitters.

Surgery not required for Pirates 3B Pedro Alvarez

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(10/6/2014)After being re-examined the day before his team got eliminated by the Giants, Pirates infielder Pedro Alvarez will not require surgery for the stress reaction in his left foot, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Alvarez played just one game since Aug. 27 because of the issue. He batted .231/.312/.405 over 398 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez, Chris Stewart out of wild-card lineup

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(10/1/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez (foot) and catcher Chris Stewart (wrist) are not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's wild-card game against the Giants. Alvarez hasn't played since Sept. 5, while Stewart sits in favor of regular starter Russell Martin.

Pedro Alvarez to meet with doctors Tuesday

Alvarez is dealing with a foot injury. The meeting will determine when Alvarez will be able to start baseball activities. He's hitting. 231/.312/.405 over 398 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez could return for postseason

by Scott White | Senior Fantasy Writer

(9/21/2014)Though Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez, who hasn't played since Sept. 5, has been ruled out for the rest of the regular season, he could potentially return for the NLDS if the Pirates advance that far, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune. The Pirates are currently tied with the Giants for the top wild card spot.

Alvarez had lost his starting third base job to Josh Harrison even before the injury, but he had begun transitioning to first base, making five starts there.

Pedro Alvarez dealing with stress reaction in foot

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(9/10/2014)Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez is dealing with a stress reaction in his foot.

Alvarez will be sidelined four to six weeks due to the injury, effectively ending his season. He's hitting .231/.312/.405 over 398 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez not progressing

by Scott White | Senior Fantasy Writer

(9/8/2014)According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez has suffered a setback in his recovery from a sprained left foot, leaving the Pirates to reassess his status. As of now, he continues to travel with the team, but he may need to be re-evaluated at some point.

"The initial diagnostic tests gave us reason to move forward as we did," general manager Neal Huntington said. "He's feeling more pain. He's not progressing the way he was before the pinch-hit at-bat. As a result, we need to re-evaluate things and see where we go from there."

Alvarez's status for the rest of the season is at this point unknown.

Pedro Alvarez, Travis Snider not in lineup Saturday

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(9/6/2014)Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez and outfielder Travis Snider are not in the starting lineup for Saturday's regularly-scheduled game against the Cubs.

Alvarez hasn't played since Aug. 26 while recovering from a foot injury. Snider has been limited to two pinch-hit appearances since Aug. 27 while battling a hamstring issue.

Pedro Alvarez, Travis Snider still absent from Pirates lineup

by Marty Gitlin | CBSSports.com

(9/5/2014)Third baseman Pedro Alvarez (foot) and outfielder Travis Snider (hamstring) remain out of the lineup Friday for the Pirates against the host Cubs.

The former has been sidelined since Aug. 26. The latter has not started a game since a day later, though he did pinch-hit twice, including on Wednesday.

Travis Snider, Pedro Alvarez still out Tuesday

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(9/2/2014)Pirates outfielder Travis Snider (hamstring) and infielder Pedro Alvarez (foot) remained out of the starting lineup Tuesday against the Cardinals, as they remain sidelined by their injuries. Snider has missed five games as a result of his injury, while Tuesday will be Alvarez's sixth straight start missed.

Pedro Alvarez, Travis Snider not ready to return vs. St. Louis

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(9/1/2014)Pedro Alvarez (foot) and Travis Snider (hamstring) were both held out of the starting lineup for the Pirates against St. Louis on Monday. Alvarez has been out since Tuesday, while Snider's injury has cost him four games.

Foot injury forced Pedro Alvarez to miss third straight

(8/30/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Reds, as he continues to be sidelined by a sprained left foot.

Alvarez has been out since Tuesday, as the injury has now cost him three games.

Pedro Alvarez still out Friday with foot injury

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(8/29/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez is out of the starting lineup yet against Friday against the Reds, as he continues to deal with a sprained left foot. He has missed two games since suffering the injury Tuesday, and remains day to day at this point.

Pedro Alvarez in walking boot after spraining foot

by Marty Gitlin | CBSSports.com

(8/27/2014)Pirates slugger Pedro Alvarez arrived at the ballpark Wednesday in a walking boot. He sprained his foot diving in vain for a ball Tuesday night.

Alvarez has three home runs in the last four games to give him 18 on the season.

Pedro Alvarez exits game with foot issue

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(8/26/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was removed from Tuesday's game with left foot discomfort, the team announced.

Alvarez went hitless in three at-bats before coming out of the game. He'll be re-evaluated by the team tomorrow.

Pedro Alvarez goes yard Monday

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(8/26/2014)Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez clubbed a home run Monday against the Cardinals.

Alvarez didn't wait long before he struck. In his first at-bat, Alvarez belted a 92 mph fastball out to center for a solo shot. He would also single later in the contest. Alvarez finished 2 for 4, with one run scored and one RBI. It was his 18th home run.

Pedro Alvarez could return to third base in 2015

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(8/24/2014)Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said Sunday that the team has not closed the door on first baseman Pedro Alvarez returning to third base in 2015, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

The team would like to see Alvarez back at third base, but he'll have to do a better job defensively than he did this season in order to stick at the position. Otherwise, he may wind up manning first base on a regular basis. Alvarez has hit .233/.314/.403 with 17 home runs and 55 RBI in 387 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez goes deep twice

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(8/24/2014)Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez hit two home runs Saturday against the Brewers.

Alvarez first struck in the fourth inning. With two men on, Alvarez belted a 97 mph fastball out to left for the three-run shot. He also managed to go yard in his next at-bat. With the bases empty, Alvarez blasted another 97 mph fastball out to left. He finished 2 for 3, with two runs scored and four RBI.

Pedro Alvarez unlikely to return to third base this season

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(8/19/2014)Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez is unlikely to play third base again this season in anything but an emergency situation, MLB.com reports.

"Right now, I think we have a better option in Josh Harrison," manager Clint Hurdle said Tuesday. "This season, right now -- to put the best team that I can on the field every night, we have better options. We have to find [Alvarez] some at-bats. Is third base the optimum place to get them? No, it is not."

Pedro Alvarez makes his first start at first base

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(8/18/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez will make his first start at first base Monday.

Alvarez has played the majority of his games at third this season. Alvarez has taken extra infield practice lately in expectation of the move. He's hitting .233/.314/.392 over 378 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez returns to third base

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(8/15/2014)Pirates infielder Pedro Alvarez is in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Nationals at third base, his first start there in nearly two weeks.

Alvarez, who started the team's last two games as a designated hitter, has been putting in extra infield practice with the expectation he would make the transition to first base soon. However, he has yet to appear in a game at first base, and his role moving forward is not yet known.

Or maybe your albatross isn't injured but just doesn't inspire much confidence right now, like Pedro Alvarez, Justin Verlander or Mike Minor.

I've got news for you: This late in the year, when winning is paramount, you can consider dropping them. Granted, it shouldn't be the goal because the competition can only benefit from whatever you forfeit, but sometimes, it's your only choice.

I break it down player-by-player in my latest post to the Fantasy Baseball Today blog, so if you could a little assistance with that season-shifting dilemma, be sure to check out.

Alvarez has been taking grounders at first base, and has agreed to the experiment. He could see time at third base as well, though Gaby Sanchez has also begun taking grounders at third to increase the team's overall versatility.

Alvarez has never appeared at first base in his major-league career, but is making the move to first after racking up a career-high 23 throwing errors in just 105 games.

Pedro Alvarez takes grounders at first base

Alvarez has ben supplanted as the starter at third base, but he may be able to see some time at first if he can handle the position defensively. Ike Davis, the primary option at first base, is also a left-handed batter, however, so it's unlikely Alvarez would play at first base in a strict platoon role.

Pedro Alvarez off bereavement list, but still a reserve

by Marty Gitlin | CBSSports.com

(8/8/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez has been activated off the bereavement list. He will return as the backup to Josh Harrison.

Alvarez has not had a multi-hit game since June 29 and has struggled mightily in the field as well, particularly with his throwing accuracy.

Pedro Alvarez placed on Bereavement List

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(8/5/2014)The Pirates placed third baseman Pedro Alvarez on the Bereavement List Tuesday, the team announced. He will miss a minimum of three games before he can return to the team.

Josh Harrison supplants Pedro Alvarez as Pirates' primary 3B

"Whether (Alvarez) is unplugged or plugged, Harrison is more than a viable option," Hurdle said, per the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review. "Harrison is our best defender on the club right now at third base."

Clint Hurdle explains benching of Pedro Alvarez

by Marty Gitlin | CBSSports.com

(7/30/2014)Clint Hurdle has compared Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez to Travis Snider and Josh Harrison in justifying his move to bench the former again Wednesday.

"He's not outplaying Harrison," he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Snider's a hot bat that's in the lineup."

Alvarez is leading the major leagues in errors, including 21 on bad throws, and owns a stat line of .238/.309/.437.

Pedro Alvarez out of lineup vs. RHP Wednesday

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(7/30/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez is out of the lineup for the second game in a row Wednesday against the Giants, despite the team facing a right-handed pitcher yet again. He has started just one of the team's last six games, though it is not yet clear if the knee injury that bothered him last week is still an issue.

'The Thing' could push Pedro Alvarez to the bench

"The Thing" in baseball parlance is an inexplicable inability to throw accurately to the point it becomes a mental block. Alvarez has 23 errors this season, more than any player in any position in the major leagues, and 21 have come on throws. He has hidden when the media has come around to ask him about it, according to the Beaver County Times.

Alvarez has apparently allowed the problem to affect his hitting. He has not had a multi-hit game since July 10 and has just five hits in his last 25 at-bats. He has not scored or driven in a run in the last six games as his stat line has been weakened to .238/.326/.407. Despite cutting down a bit on his strikeouts this season, his production has suffered, though he has still managed 15 home runs and 47 RBI.

Pedro Alvarez returns from knee injury Sunday

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(7/27/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez returned to the starting lineup Sunday against the Rockies after missing three straight starts with a knee injury. Alvarez is batting .222 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBI in 18 July games.

Pedro Alvarez still can't return Friday

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(7/25/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez missed his second game in a row Friday against the Rockies, due to discomfort in his left knee. He remains day to day moving forward as a result of this injury, which has kept him out since he left Wednesday's game.

Pedro Alvarez sits out Wednesday due to knee injury

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(7/23/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was held out of the starting lineup Wednesday vs. L.A. Dodgers after leaving Tuesday's game due to knee discomfort. Josh Harrison started in Alvarez's absence.

Pedro Alvarez removed with knee discomfort Tuesday

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(7/22/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was removed from Tuesday's game with a knee issue.

Alvarez left the game with left knee discomfort. He was 1 for 2, with a double, before being removed from the game.

Pedro Alvarez goes deep early in loss

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(7/12/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez homered for the second time in four games Friday, in a 6-5 loss to the Reds.

Alvarez had just one hit in the game, a three-run home run that gave the Pirates the lead in the fourth. He finished the game 1 for 3 with a walk, one run scored and three driven in during the loss.

Alvarez has two home runs in 11 July games, and is hitting .242/.306/.455 in 33 at-bats during the month.

Pedro Alvarez hits homer No. 14

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(7/9/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez went deep for the first time in eight games Tuesday, in a 5-4 loss to the Cardinals.

Alvarez had just one hit as he went 1 for 4 in the game, but he made it count. Alvarez clubbed a two-run home run in the fourth inning to open the scoring for Pittsburgh, though it was his only contribution in the loss.

Alvarez is hitting .240/.326/.412 with 14 home runs in 88 games.

Pedro Alvarez, Ike Davis both out Friday

by Marty Gitlin | CBSSports.com

(7/4/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez and first baseman Ike Davis are catching a break for the Friday game against Philadelphia starter Roberto Hernandez, who has been far stronger against left-handed batters this season.

Alvarez is 0 for 2 lifetime against Hernandez while Davis has yet to face him.

"Ike, the power hasn't been maybe what it was in the past, but he gives us quality, professional at-bats and has played solid defense for us there," Huntington said. "If we can get Pedro back on track to 30-something home runs, being a productive major league hitter and playing adequate defense at third, that's a pretty good tandem to have on the corners."

Huntington said Harrison will continue to fill a utility role for Pittsburgh.

"To play a 162-game season this year, in this environment, it's about depth," Huntington said.

"We're working through all different scenarios, but right now what we feel very comfortable with is Josh bouncing around giving everybody rest."

Pedro Alvarez smacks 13th home run Sunday

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(6/29/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez went 2 for 4 with a double, a home run and three RBI in his team's 5-2 win over the Mets Sunday.

Alvarez drove in a run with his double in the first inning to put his team up 3-0 then added two more on his fourth-inning home run. The Mets were only able to respond with two ninth-inning runs. The third baseman has hit .241/.330/.416 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI in 286 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez knocks 12th home run Monday

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(6/23/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez went 1 for 3 with a walk and a three-run home run in his team's 8-1 win over the Rays Monday.

Alvarez was facing a bit of a power dry spell, with his last home run coming back on June 3, before launching a ball over the center field fence Monday. He has hit .232/.318/.402 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI in 271 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez bashes blast to help Pirates beat San Diego

by Marty Gitlin | CBSSports.com

(6/4/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez remained hot Tuesday night in San Diego with a two-run homer in the fourth inning that concluded the scoring in a 4-1 win.

Alvarez has 10 hits in his last 29 at-bats with two homers and six RBI. He has sweentened his stat line to .227/.309/.403.

Pedro Alvarez lifts off in win over Dodgers

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(6/2/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez made his presence felt at the plate Sunday night, driving in three runs in his team's 5-3 win over the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

Alvarez singled in two runs in the opening frame and singled in another run in the sixth inning. He finished 2 for 3 with three RBI. He is hitting .223 with 10 homers and 31 RBI in 202 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez hits homer No. 10

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(5/30/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez got the Pirates on the board early Thursday, in a 6-3 win over the Dodgers.

Alvarez had just one hit in the game, a solo home run in the second inning to tie the game, 1-1. He went 1 for 4 overall, with one strikeout in the win.

Alvarez is hitting .221 with 10 home runs on the season, but has been better since he was moved out of the cleanup spot of the order last week. In his last seven games, Alvarez is hitting .280 with two home runs and three RBI.

Pedro Alvarez dropped in the order

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(5/23/2014)The Pirates moved third baseman Pedro Alvarez down in the lineup Friday, with manager Clint Hurdle citing disappointment in Alvarez production out of the leadoff spot so far.

"The production hasn't matched up with the opportunities," Hurdle told MLB.com.

Though Alvarez has 24 RBI on the season, the majority (15) have come on his eight home runs. He has left 100 runners on base in the season. Alvarez's struggles in the cleanup spot are not limited to this season, as he is a .250 hitter for his career as a No. 6 hitter, compared to just .192 at No. 4.

Pedro Alvarez slugs eighth homer in wild game Monday

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(5/6/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was 2 for 7 with a home run, two runs and four RBI in his team's 11-10, 13-inning loss to the Giants Monday.

Alvarez smacked a three-run home run in the second inning to give his team a 4-2 lead, which they extended to 8-2 in the fifth on a rally started by Alvarez's RBI single. However, the Giants battled back to 8-7 before tying the game up at 9-9 in the seventh inning and again at 10-10 in the ninth, then taking home a victory in extra innings. Alvarez has hit .215/.317/.430 with eight home runs and 22 RBI in 121 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez benched Saturday against lefty

Alvarez, who is 4 for 17 with two home runs against southpaws this season, is 1 for his last 17 since reaching on an infield single in his first place appearance Monday.

Pedro Alvarez mashes sixth home run Thursday

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(4/18/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his sixth home run of the season Thurday against the Brewers.

Alvarez managed to find himself on base four times during the game. He singled in the bottom of the fourth, and walked in both the sixth and seventh inning. In the bottom of the eighth, he clubbed a three-run home run off a 93 mph fastball from Wei-Chung Wang.

Alvarez finished the game 2 for 3, with one run scored and three RBI.

Pirates trio combines for five solo homers

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(4/10/2014)The Pirates managed to score five runs on just five hits Wednesday against the Cubs, and they all came on solo home runs.

Third baseman Pedro Alvarez got the scoring started with his fifth-inning shot, and he followed that up with one more in the ninth. The Pirates also got a two home-run game out of catcher Russell Martin, while Travis Snider added his own longball in the 7-5 loss.

Alvarez now has four home runs on the season, while Snider and Martin both went deep for the first time in Wednesday's game.

Pedro Alvarez goes yard twice in win over Cardinals

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(4/5/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez came up big at the plate, launching a pair of home runs in his team's 12-2 win over the Cardinals.

Alvarez took St. Louis starter Shelby Miller deep for a pair of solo home runs in the second and fourth innings, respectively. He drove in another run on a ground out in the eighth inning and finished 2 for 4 with one walk, three runs and three RBI. He improved his batting average to .158 (3 for 19) on the year.

Pedro Alvarez smacks two doubles Friday

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(2/28/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez led the charge offensively in Friday's 4-2 loss to the Blue Jays, going 2 for 3 with two doubles and two runs before being replaced defensively.

Alvarez has been one of the more prolific power hitters at his position over the last two seasons, with 66 home runs to his credit, and he just missed his first home run of the spring when he picked up his first double with a shot off the center field wall. He's looking to improve on last season's .233/.296/.473 line.

Pirates want Pedro Alvarez to become a 'better hitter with power'

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(2/9/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit a career-high 36 home runs in 2013, but he also struck out a career-high 186 times and posted a .296 on-base percentage. However, Alvarez one of the team's top performers in the NLDS against St. Louis, batting .353 with a .421 on-base percentage, .941 slugging percentage, 1.362 OPS, three home runs and six RBI in five games.

"We continue to maximize what he showed in September and October," general manager Neal Huntington said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "And that was the ability to close down and the ability to close some of those holes and to become a better hitter with power [rather] than a power hitter that occasionally gets hits. He's making great strides there, he's so intelligent, he cares so much, he works so hard."

Pedro Alvarez avoids arbitration

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(1/17/2014)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez has avoided arbitration with the club.

Alvarez will earn $4.25 million next season. He's coming off a year in which he hit .233/.296/.473 in 558 at-bats.

Matt Carpenter, Ian Desmond, Pedro Alvarez win Silver Sluggers

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(11/6/2013)Cardinals second baseman Matt Carpenter, Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond and Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez have joined Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt as Silver Slugger award winners among National League infielders.

Carpenter's first Silver Slugger award comes after leading the majors in runs (126), hits (199) and doubles (55) while hitting .318/.392/.481 with 11 home runs and 78 RBI in 626 at-bats. Desmond's second straight Silver Slugger award comes after hitting .280/.331/.453 with 20 home runs, 80 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 600 at-bats. Alvarez's first career Silver Slugger award comes after hitting .233/.296/.473 with 36 home runs and 100 RBI in 558 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez sets RBI record in Game 5 loss

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(10/9/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez became the first player in history to record at least one RBI in each of his first six postseason games Wednesday, driving in his team's only run as the Cardinals advanced to the National League Championship Series with a 6-1 win over the Pirates.

Alvarez got at least one hit in each game of the National League Division Series after going 0 for 3 with an RBI in the team's wild-card win over the Reds. He finishes his postseason with a .300/.348/.800 line, three home runs and seven RBI in 20 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez homers in Game 4 loss

by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com

(10/7/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez left the stadium for his third home run of the postseason on Monday during the Game 4 loss at home in the National League Division Series against St. Louis.

Alvarez hit a solo homer off starter Michael Wacha in the eighth inning. It was the first hit of the game for the Pirates. It ended up being the only hit of the game for the Bucs as the series is tied at two games apiece.

Alvarez went 1 for 3 and is batting .385 in the NLDS. After going 0 for 3 in the wild card game, Alvarez has gone 5 for 13 in the NLDS with three homers and five RBI. He has driven in at least one run in every playoff game in which he's played thus far.

Pedro Alvarez lifts off again

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(10/4/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez went yard for the second day in a row Friday against the Cardinals in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.

Alvarez took opposing starter Lance Lynn deep for a two-run shot in the second inning to give Pittsburgh an early 3-0 lead. He finished 2 for 4 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBI in a 7-1 victory. He has gone 3 of 7 with a walk, three runs scored, two homers and three RBI through the first two games of the NLDS.

Pedro Alvarez goes yard in Game 1

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(10/3/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez provided the only run of the night for Pittsburgh during Thursday's Game 1 loss to the Cardinals in the NLDS. Alvarez launched a a 437-foot solo home run in fifth inning. He finished 1 for 3 with one run scored and one RBI in a 9-1 defeat.

Pedro Alvarez dials long distance in win

(9/28/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez blasted his 36th home run of the season on Saturday in Cincinnati. Alvarez took starter Bronson Arroyo deep in the fourth inning for a solo shot.

Alvarez hit one of six homers for the Pirates on the day. He finished the game going 2 for 4 and is batting .233 on the year for the Pirates. He now has exactly 100 RBI on the season.

The 26-year-old has gone 6 for 17 over his last four games with two homers and six RBI. He hasn't had the best of averages, but he's been a big-time producer for the Pirates on their run to the wild card playoff game.

Pedro Alvarez goes yard

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(9/19/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his 34th home run Thursday against the Padres.

Alvarez took Ian Kennedy deep in the fourth inning for a solo shot. He finished the game 1 for 3, with two runs scored and two RBI. He walked in his two other plate appearances.

Pedro Alvarez reaches five times

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(8/28/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez reached every time he was at the plate Tuesday against the Brewers.

Alvarez went 4 for 4, with two singles, a double and a home run. He walked in his other plate appearance, reaching five times. Alvarez is hitting .240/.302/.496 in 450 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez reaches new career-high

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(8/20/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his 31st home run Monday against the Padres.

Alvarez took Andrew Cashner deep for a solo shot in the sixth inning. He finished the game 2 for 4, with two runs and one RBI. He's hitting .234/.295/.482 in 427 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez uncorks 28th home run

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(8/11/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez overcame a left index finger injury and launched his 28th home run of the season Sunday against the Rockies.

Alvarez took Chad Bettis deep for a solo shot in the second inning. He finished 1 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI in a 3-2 defeat. He is hitting .236/.296/.482 in 394 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez checks out fine Sunday

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(8/11/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez, who was spiked on his left index finger Saturday, swung in the batting cages Sunday morning and reported feeling fine, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He is wearing a bandage, but doesn't have to wear a splint.

Pedro Alvarez mum after sustaining finger injury

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(8/11/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez left the clubhouse after Saturday's game against the Rockies without speaking to the media. Manager Clint Hurdle said Alvarez was spiked on the left index finger Saturday and had a bandage on it.

Alvarez hasn't homered in 11 games and has just one multi-hit game since July 12, batting .184 in his last 25 games.

Pedro Alvarez hits No. 27

by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com

(7/29/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his 27th home run Monday during a 9-2 win over the Cardinals. Alvarez went deep in the first inning for a three-run blast with no outs against Jake Westbrook.

Alvarez finished 1 for 4 with the three RBI. He added a walk and is batting .244 for the year.

Alvarez has recorded at least one base hit in eight straight games and has three homers and six RBI over that stretch. He's up to 68 runs driven in on the year.

Pedro Alvarez hits 26th home run

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(7/24/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his 26th home run of the season in his team's 4-2 win over the Nationals Wednesday. It was the only hit of the game for Alvarez, who also walked once and scored two runs.

Alvarez has homered in two straight games, putting him just four home runs away from matching last year's career high of 30 home runs. He has hit .244/.302/.509 in 328 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez in dire need of a hot streak

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(7/22/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez heads into Monday's game at Washington hitless in his last four games (17 at-bats). He also doesn't have a home run or RBI in five games.

Alvarez is batting .233 in 15 July games, which is his lowest average since batting .225 in May. Alvarez had his best month in June, batting .309 with 10 home runs and 24 RBI in 26 games.

Pedro Alvarez's streak hits eight games

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(7/11/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez made an impact without going deep Wednesday, as he extended his hitting streak to eight games in a 5-0 win over the Athletics.

Alvarez went 2 for 4 with two RBI in the game, both of which came on singles early in the game. He is now hitting .253 on the season, up from just .239 at the start of his eight-game hitting streak. He is hitting .363 during this streak, with three home runs and seven RBI.

National League All-Star roster announced

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(7/6/2013)The All-Star game starters were announced Saturday, with 34 of the National League's 35 roster spots officially unveiled. The final roster spot will be decided via a fan vote prior to the game.

Pedro Alvarez slugs rare homer off lefty

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(7/4/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez continued to produce Wednesday, as he slugged his 21st home run of the season in a 6-5 win over the Phillies.

Alvarez drove in three with his fifth-inning homer off John Lannan, just his third off a left-handed pitcher this season. He finished the game 2 for 4 with one run scored and three driven in, while striking out twice.

Alvarez has hit 11 of his 21 home runs since June 1, with five of them coming in his last 11 games. He ranks third in the National League in home runs and sixth in RBI, with 56.

Pedro Alvarez hits 20th homer

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(6/30/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez continued his impressive June performance Saturday by going 1 for 3 and hitting his 20th homer of the season in his a 2-1 win over the Brewers.

The homer was Alvarez's 10th in June, giving him a .330/.402/.725 line in 91 at-bats in the month. The elite numbers have brought his season line from .198/.258/.401 on June 1 to .247/.310/.522 with 20 home runs and 53 RBI in 251 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez named NL player of the week

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(6/24/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez has been named the National League player of the week.

Alvarez hit .414 with a .452 on-base percentage. He clubbed four home runs. Alvarez is hitting .237/.303/.513 in 236 at-bats. He's hit 19 home runs.

Pedro Alvarez homers again

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(6/24/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez continued to swing a red-hot bat as he homered for the fourth time in as many days Sunday afternoon against the Angels.

Alvarez, who was bumped to the No. 3 slot in the order, unleashed a solo home run in the first inning. He added a double and finished 2 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI in a 10-9 win in extras.

It Alvarez's his fourth consecutive multi-hit game. He is hitting .563 (9 for 16) with three doubles, four homers and eight RBI during that span. He has hit safely in each of his last eight games. He is hitting .237 with 19 homers and 51 RBI in 236 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez homers in third straight game

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(6/23/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez homered and recorded multiple hits for the third consecutive game Saturday against the Angels, going 2 for 4 with a second-inning solo home run. He is 7 for 11 with three homers and seven RBI in his last three games.

Alvarez has put together a seven-game hitting streak while raising his line to .234/.301/.498 in 231 at-bats. His 18 homers are tied for fourth in the National League.

Pedro Alvarez has five-RBI outburst

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(6/20/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was a one-man wrecking crew during Thursday's 5-3 win at Cincinnati. Alvarez accounted for all five of the team's RBI.

Alvarez plated one run on a single in the third inning, another run on a solo homer in the sixth and three more runs on a bases-clearing double in the seventh inning, which broke open a 2-all game. Alvarez, who went 3 for 4, entered play Thursday mired in a 6-for-30 slump in his previous eight games.

Alvarez now has six home runs and 19 RBI in 18 June games.

Pedro Alvarez hits another home run

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(6/17/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his 15th home run of the year Sunday against the Dodgers.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Alvarez hit a three-run home run on the sixth pitch of his at-bat against Zack Greinke. Alvarez is now hitting .213/.283/.454 in 207 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez hits 14th home run

by Jack Moore | CBSSports.com

(6/12/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his 14th home run as part of a huge game in Tuesday's win over San Francisco.

Alvarez finished 3 for 3 with two runs and three RBI. The hulking third baseman has been hot for a solid 25 games now -- since he broke out of an 0-for-14 slump May 9, Alvarez owns a .277/.344/.639 line with nine home runs (a pace of 59 over 162 games).

Pedro Alvarez held without a hit in return

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(6/2/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez endured a quiet night at the dish in his first game back from a wisdom-tooth extraction Saturday night against the Reds.

Alvarez finished 0 for 2 with a walk and a strikeout in a 2-0 defeat. He is hitting .198/.258/.401 in 48 games.

Pedro Alvarez back in the lineup

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(6/1/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was back in the starting lineup Saturday against the Reds, after missing the previous two games due to wisdom tooth extraction.

Alvarez was originally in the starting lineup Friday, but was a late scratch due to lingering soreness.

Pedro Alvarez a late scratch Friday

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(5/31/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was a late scratch Friday night against the Reds, as he is still dealing with soreness from having his wisdom teeth taken out earlier in the week. He was replaced by Brandon Inge.

Pedro Alvarez back in lineup

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(5/31/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez returned to the starting lineup Friday against the Reds after having his wisdom teeth taken out earlier in the week. Alvarez is a .278 lifetime hitter against Johnny Cueto, who is starting for the Reds Friday.

Pedro Alvarez out of lineup for dental procedure

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(5/30/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was not in the starting lineup Thursday against the Tigers after having his wisdom teeth taken out earlier in the day. It unknown how long he will be out of the lineup as a result of this procedure. Brandon Inge started in his place.

Pedro Alvarez powers up

(5/25/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez continues to show off his power, as he homered twice in a 5-2 wni over the Brewers Saturday.

Alvarez went 2 for 3 with a walk and three RBI. He has four home runs over the last six games, while batting .278.

Alvarez went 14 games to open the season with out a home run and has hit his 10 homers over the last 29 games. He is hitting .248 in that span, but he has 23 RBI and 16 runs scored to go with his 10 homers.

Pedro Alvarez mashes eighth home run

by Jack Moore | CBSSports.com

(5/19/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his eighth home run, the decider in a 1-0 win Sunday over Houston.

Alvarez continues to struggle with his average (.201) and making contact (31.5 percent strikeout rate), but his power continues to show up. He's on pace for another 30 home run season with Sunday's blast.

Pedro Alvarez records rare stolen base

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(5/16/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez stole the third base of his career Thursday night against the Brewers as part of a 0-for-2 day that also featured one walk and one run scored.

Alvarez entered play Thursday with just two steals in 354 games and 1,370 career plate appearances. He recorded one stolen base in each of the last two years. Alvarez has hit just .188/.237/.336 with six home runs in 139 plate appearances this season.

Pedro Alvarez sits against righty

by Ed Gauna | CBSSports.com

(5/15/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was out of the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Brewers with a right-hander on the mound.

Manager Clint Hurdle told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review the 26-year-old sat due to the matchup. Alvarez has gone 0 for 15 in his career against Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo.

"I've watched him go against (Gallardo) for two straight years, and this is the third year," Hurdle said. "We'll try something different."

It was his first time sitting against a righty since June 5, 2012.

Pedro Alvarez breaks skid with home run

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(5/9/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez broke an 0-for-14 slide in his previous four games with a 2-for-3 game Thursday against the Mets that included a home run, his sixth of the season. His batting average, which had dipped to .168, is now .182.

Pedro Alvarez getting less selective

by Al Melchior | Data Analyst

(5/7/2013)Coming into this season, Pedro Alvarez had rightfully earned the reputation for being an all-or-nothing hitter. So far this year, he has done nothing to dispel that image and everything to reinforce it.

Alvarez has five home runs, but he has been striking out more often and walking less. He's also batting just .178, and he has yet to get a base hit on a flyball that stayed in the park. Some of that may be bad luck, but it hasn't helped that he has already produced eight infield flies. Those strikeouts and popups are products of an increasingly undisciplined approach, as Alvarez is swinging at pitches more often, particularly at those outside the strike zone.

Owners could live with Alvarez hitting .250, as long as he produces power, and in past seasons -- both in the majors and the minors -- he has shown the potential to do just that. Until he shows progress, though, find a place on your bench for the Pirates' slugger.

Don't be fooled by Pedro Alvarez's hot streak

by Nando Di Fino | Senior Fantasy Writer

(4/30/2013)If you ran out and picked up Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez after his six-game run last week, in which he hit .368 with four home runs -- well, the joke's on you. Alvarez is one of the more unpredictable players in MLB, and picking him up after he does something like this is just going to cause headaches.

Alvarez hit 30 home runs last year, with eight of those coming in multi-homer games (two of those games coming on back-to-back days), two homers coming in a doubleheader, and four homers coming in a one-week span in July. Alvarez doesn't hit homers in streaks -- he hits them in bunches. By the time you notice he's hit three or four and pick him up, he puts that big bat down and gets back to unspooling all the good Fantasy karma he just accrued.

Alvarez is a decent option for Roto leagues -- over the course of a year he will get the home runs. But trying to work him into a lineup in weekly Head-to-Head formats is maddening, and should be avoided at all costs. If you're starting him, and your team is, say, 3-1, consider yourself a very lucky man.

Still the same old Pedro Alvarez

by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com

(4/29/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez has heated up the past couple of days, but that's to be expected given his approach.

Alvarez still has a decent walk rate and an astronomical strikeout rate. His 32.2 percent strikeout rate ranks as the seventh highest in the league. While his average has been limited by a .245 BABIP, he's not a candidate to hit over .245 due to the abundance of strikeouts. His approach makes him a candidate to go on runs like this, but he's not a candidate to improve on last season's performance.

Suddenly hot Pedro Alvarez still a risk

by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com

(4/26/2013)There aren't many hitters in the majors who approach Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez's streakiness.

When Alvarez is on, as he has been over the last seven games with four home runs, he can look like one of the best power hitters in the game. Even when hot, though, you can see signs of what makes Alvarez so hard to depend on, as he is hitting the ball well right now, but still has eight strikeouts in his last 24 at bats.

Fantasy owners feel pressure to get Alvarez in the lineup when he is feeling it, but it is not yet clear the Pirates feel the same way. Alvarez has been out of the starting lineup the last three times the Pirates have faced a left-handed starter. With three lefties on the way in Week 5 (April 29-May 5), even a scorching hot Alvarez may not give you the production you are looking for. Our Scott White thinks Alvarez is a risky start for Week 5 due to his matchups.

Pedro Alvarez putting power on display

by Ed Gauna | CBSSports.com

(4/24/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his fourth home run in the last six games on Wednesday night against the Phillies. He took Antonio Bastardo deep for a solo shot in the seventh inning.

The 26-year-old also had an RBI single and finished 2 for 4 in a 5-3 win.

Alvarez has really picked up the pace of late. He is batting .348 (8 for 23) with seven RBI in his last seven contests.

Here comes Pedro Alvarez

by Scott White | Senior Fantasy Writer

(4/23/2013)To recap, the Pirates' Pedro Alvarez hit .042 with a home run over his first eight games last year. Then, he hit .367 with six home runs over his next 14 games. Then, he hit .143 with a home run over his next 33 games (brr, that's cold). Then, he hit .308 with 13 home runs over his next 30 games (ow, that's hot).

Then, he hit .217 with no home runs over his next 20. Then, he hit .407 with six home runs over his next 15. Then, he hit .212 with three home runs over his final 29.

And that, folks, is how he arrived at a .244 batting average and 30 home runs for the season.

After his 4-for-45 start this year, you probably benched him, but seeing as he has three home runs in his last five games, you should probably activate him before the next cold spell arrives.

Pedro Alvarez finding his power stroke

by Ed Gauna | CBSSports.com

(4/22/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez continued his recent power surge on Monday night against the Phillies. He went 2 for 4 with a home run in a 3-2 loss.

The 26-year-old took starter Jonathan Pettibone deep for a solo shot in his first at-bat before reaching on an infield single in the seventh inning.

Alvarez has gone 5 for 15 (.333) in his last five games with three homers and four RBI.

Southpaw sends Pedro Alvarez to bench

by Bill Passonno | CBSSports.com

(4/20/2013)A day after launching a home run for the second straight game, Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was held out of the starting lineup Saturday against Braves left-hander Paul Maholm. Alvarez is boasting a three-game hitting streak but strikeouts continue to limit the young slugger as he's whiffed 20 times in 52 at-bats this season.

Alvarez has also struggled against lefties, collecting just one hit in 16 at-bats with nine strikeouts. Russell Martin took his spot at third base.

Pedro Alvarez blasts first home run

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(4/18/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his first home run of the season Thursday, a no-doubter to straightaway center field off Braves starter Julio Teheran. It was the only hit of the game for Alvarez, who also drew a walk to lift his season line to .104/.204/.167 in 54 plate appearances.

Pedro Alvarez a test in patience

by Scott White | Senior Fantasy Writer

(4/16/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez is one of the most dropped players in Fantasy (with some people, based on the e-mails I've been getting, opting for Trevor Plouffe and Chris Johnson), and from what I can tell, it's only because he's 3 for 41 to begin the season.

Well, what did you expect? He began last season 1 for 24. He hit .143 over an early 33-game stretch and .214 over a later 33-game stretch. Yeah, he finished with 30 home runs, and he likely will again, but in between, he'll endure some crippling cold streaks. And until he stops striking out every third at-bat, that doesn't figure to change.

But again, none of this should come as a shock to you. You knew exactly what you were getting when you drafted Alaverez. By dropping him now, you only realize your losses, absorbing all of the bad without sticking around for the good.

In Head-to-Head leagues, I can understand you not wanting to live and die by him every week. I question why you drafted him in the first place, but whatever. Lesson learned. But in Rotisserie leagues, you kind of have to let the season run its course. Rest assured, the home runs are coming.

Bad idea to drop Pedro Alvarez

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(4/14/2013)There's one thing quite evident about Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez's poor start -- he's not making much contact. Alvarez has struck out 15 times in 11 games and Fantasy owners are fed up, dumping Alvarez onto waivers.

While it's frustrating to watch Alvarez mired in another cold streak, I don't think Fantasy owners should be dropping the 26-year-old infielder. You are going to have to deal with a high strikeout rate from Alvarez, but you are dropping him when he has a .086 batting average. How much worse can it really get? You have already lived through the horror. You are going to miss reaping all the rewards.

I'm confident a positive market correction is due because Alvarez has a 22.5 swinging strike percentage, which is well above his career average (13.6 percent), according to FanGraphs.com. His plate discipline numbers are all out of whack and Alvarez should eventually come back to his career norms, so there's plenty of room to improve here.

If anything, take Alvarez out of active lineups, but I can't condone dropping a potential 30-homer bat just yet.

Pedro Alvarez racking up the Ks

by Ed Gauna | CBSSports.com

(4/14/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez had another quiet night at the plate Saturday against the Reds. He went 0 for 2 with a strikeout and a walk in the 3-1 win.

Alvarez is batting .086 with 15 strikeouts in 35 at-bats.

Pedro Alvarez collecting more air

by Bill Passonno | CBSSports.com

(4/9/2013)Strikeouts have stunted the progress of Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez during his brief major-league career and they continue to be a problem this season. Alvarez, who finished second in the National League with 180 strikeouts last year, has been punched out at least once in every game (12 total).

He is in the midst of an 0-for-17 slump and has struck out in eight of his past 10 at-bats and is hitting .080.

Pedro Alvarez with another 1-for-4 performance

by Ed Gauna | CBSSports.com

(4/3/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez collected a hit for the second straight contest on Wednesday night against the Cubs. He singled in the eighth inning and finished 1 for 4 in the 3-0 win.

Alvarez has gone 2 for 8 (.250) with an RBI thus far.

Pedro Alvarez still has to win me over

by Scott White | Senior Fantasy Writer

(3/27/2013)Pedro Alvarez has had an encouraging enough turnaround over the past few days, including a 4-for-5 performance Wednesday, that he's probably worthy of a little more reflection at this stage of the game. I've been targeting as sort of my "Ryan Howard fallback" -- a corner infielder who I can trust to deliver 30-plus homers, but not much else. Still, at age 26, he might have some untapped potential.

The Pirates couldn't stop singing his praises when he showed up for the start of spring training, with manager Clint Hurdle telling MLB.com he "continues to have a better understanding of things he needs to do in the offseason to get himself in a good place for spring training, where he isn't trying to play catch up."

That's a decidedly different tone from last year, when Alvarez's conditioning was called into question.

Of course, a player who strikes out as often as Alvarez does is predisposed to a .250ish batting average no matter what shape he's in, I think, so for me, a Ryan Howard fallback is what he'll remain.

Pedro Alvarez sends batting average soaring

by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com

(3/27/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez nearly lifted his batting average 60 points during Wednesday's spring game against the Twins. Alvarez provided most of his team's offense during a 7-4 loss, going 4 for 5 with one run and three RBI. He hit his second home run of the spring -- a solo shot off Vance Worley in the third inning. Alvarez came into the game batting .191 and left it hitting .250 (13 for 52) through 18 games. He also has five doubles and 10 RBI.

Pedro Alvarez expected to fill four-hole

by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(3/19/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez will likely start the season in the four-hole, MLB.com reports. Alvarez is batting .161 with three RBI in 31 at-bats this spring. Manager Clint Hurdle expects him to pick it up once the season starts.

"We'll be best served when he puts his foot down and takes ownership of that spot," Hurdle said. "You'd like to find a guy you can put in there and leave alone, and Pedro is definitely one we're considering."

Alvarez played just 19 games last season, hitting .170 with two homers and three RBI.

Alvarez not seeing the ball

by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com

(3/11/2013)Pittsburgh third baseman Pedro Alvarez is really struggling this spring swinging the bat. He went 0 for 2 on Monday and has gone just 2 for 22 this spring overall for the Pirates. He has one double -- his only extra-base hit -- and two RBI with four strikeouts to this point.

Alvarez 'in a very good place'

(2/19/2013)Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez declined to play winter ball last offseason but still showed up to camp in good shape. It appears he worked even harder this year, however, as MLB.com reports the 26-year-old has showed up in great shape after training at IMG Academy once again. "Pedro continues to have a better understanding of things he needs to do in the offseason to get himself in a good place for spring training, where he isn't trying to play catch up," manager Clint Hurdle said Tuesday. "He worked extremely hard at IMG for an extended period of time, and was able to come into this camp in a very good place."